SPP Pumps: Pearl of a Project

SPP Pumps were recently approached by Othniel Oysters Ltd, the Poole-based shellfish farm, with a requirement for updating the pumping system that keeps their oysters in prime condition during the early stages of growth.

From their 103 acre site in Dorset, Othniel produces around 400 tons of oysters per year, which are sold across the UK, France and the Far East. An ecologically-friendly solution was of prime importance as Othniel Oysters, member of the Shellfish Association of Great Britain, is a major stakeholder in a viable and sustainable future for UK shellfish operations.

SPP was asked to specify a pump which would be able to cope with a duty of 216 m3/h at 8 bar head at 1760 rpm. After consideration, a Unistream 125/40 bare shaft pump with bronze impeller and soft-packed gland was selected as the perfect match for the requirement.

Unistream end suction pumps conform to EN 733/DIN 24255 dimensional standards for use in industrial building services and many OEM applications. This range is designed with a back-pull out facility allowing removal of the hydraulic rotating element without disturbance of the suction and delivery pipework or motor, this minimising maintenance and downtime.

With a multitude of industrial and environmental applications, the range can be used on both clean or turbid water, and the single-entry, shell-moulded impellers are cut to each duty point to minimise motor power usage.

The results of this feature were of particular interest to Gary Wordsworth, Othniel’s founder and owner: “The pump does exactly what we wanted . . . it has made things a lot quieter for the workers and has an added bonus of a 35% reduction in fuel consumption”.

Shellfish contribute nearly 50% of the total value of seafood landed into the UK.